My Miss America platform

No, do not fear, I am not running for (is that what it's called?) Miss America anytime soon, nor have you, good reader, accidentally navigated to the wrong blog (unless you have, of course). But isn't "world peace" the cliche' Miss America answer for... I don't even know what the question is supposed to be (see, I told you I don't know anything about this Miss America business)-- "what do you want for Christmas?"?

But anyway, what made me think of all this is recent events (by "recent" I mean since before I was born, but more relevantly, those of the past couple of weeks) in Israel. Israeli attacks on Palestinians; Palestinian attacks on Israel. Bush denouncing the Palestinians as "terrorists," but just sort of suggesting that Israel play nice.

This afternoon as I was going to catch a bus, I was cutting across the state capitol lot (as I do most times I'm heading toward downtown) and as I looked down the lawn towards the street, I saw the protesters gathered there along Lincoln St. (I'd heard on the news that there was going to be a protest, but had forgotten.) The news had said there was going to be a protest against Israel's recent actions. From where I passed by, up on capitol hill, the only sign I could read among that group was one that read "War is not the answer." A few yards down the sidewalk stood a few folks with pro-Israel signs. I think. One appeared to just say "Israel," from what I could see.

I got to thinking about extremes. Classifying one group as allies, another as terrorists. Feeling forced to choose one camp-- the pro-Israel or the pro-Palestinian protest huddles. The notion that this conflict (or any other) will be over, as soon as one side or the other "wins."

But that is simply not the case. Neither side will ever "win." And if they do-- if they manage to drive the other side down, crush their spirits, take their guns, their land, their forms of making a living-- it will not end the conflict. It might suppress its expression for a while, but it will always return, because there cannot be one "winner" in a conflict like this one. It is a conflict that will only be resolved once all involved (which includes their international allies) become willing to hold off on the statements of absolutes, willing to compromise and make concessions, willing to accept that they will not be crowned victorious at the end of the day, willing to admit the wrongs they committed in the road that led up to that point.

Because what is this conflict really about? I mean really-- when you get past the pride, the political and military fronting, the retaliation and the keeping of score.

It's about people who want to go home.

Everybody just wants to go home. They want to be home. Both sides. Wanting to have a place to call their own, that is safe, and stable, where they can live and work and raise their families and go about their lives. And who can't relate to that?

That is why-- someday, even if it is many holidays from now-- all I want for Christmas really is world peace.

A lost post

(I just found this post, in June, saved as a draft. I'm not sure where I was going with all this. But it sort of entertains me, 5 months later.)

Why I love squirrels:
They are fat.

Why I love vanilla ice cream:
It is delicious and creamy.

Why I love blankets:
They are snuggly and nesty.

While I love my birds:
They say hi when they see me.

Why I love pigeons:
They are shiny.

Why I love books:
They are intriguing.

Why I love sleep:
It is peaceful.

Why I love my niece and nephew:
They are huggable.
(Among many other reasons.)